The Open University is able to work with you in many ways - from supporting your endeavours in setting up an academic institution and working together as partners to providing consultancy in a variety of other areas such as
- Course content
- Systems and processes for open and distance learning
- Learning support, advice and guidance for learners and tutors
- Strategy, policy and management
- Teacher training, tutor training, capacity building strategies, ICT in education
- Dual model systems and institutional learning grids
- Quality assurance.
Case study > Teacher Training in New Teaching Strategies and Open and Distance Learning Techniques
A team of science, mathematics and English teacher-trainers from the Centre for Research and Development in Teacher Education at the UK Open University conducted two intensive workshops for experienced Iraqi teachers of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English and Mathematics.
The first workshop, conducted over four days in September 2005, in Amman, Jordan, was a general introduction to Open and Distance Learning (ODL) for teacher development and to new teaching strategies, followed by a highly intensive six-day period of production of draft ODL material for in-service teachers.
A second workshop was held in Milton Keynes, UK in late February 2006 to complete the production of materials and to hold training for audio-visual technicians and ministry support staff.
A focus on team working was central to the project as quality open distance learning (ODL) materials are best produced by teacher trainers working as a team to share tasks and to critique each others work. A central pillar of the training, therefore, was to establish trust between the tutors and the workshop participants and, more significantly, amongst the subject teachers themselves who were to work in groups both in Amman and later in Baghdad and Milton Keynes to produce ODL materials for the use of other teachers in Iraqi schools.
The sessions in the early part of the first workshop included discussions with the teachers to clarify the parameters of the project. It was decided to produce ODL print materials which introduced classroom teachers to new teaching techniques, illustrated with supporting video footage. The intention is that teachers will use the print material in their school setting, supported by a mentor and discussions with fellow teachers during face-to-face meetings at teachers' centres across Iraq. This model has proved highly successful in the range of contexts in which the OU works worldwide. Teachers will be able to view and discuss the video in the local support centres.
Discussion with the participants revealed common areas of priority for teacher professional development (listed below). During the workshops the participants were exposed to new teaching strategies and concurrently coached in how to introduce the new teaching ideas to other Iraqi teachers using ODL techniques.
To facilitate the production of the materials and to ensure uniformity between subjects, a common writing frame was agreed for six teacher booklets, covering science (with examples drawn from all three sciences), mathematics and English. Each booklet is about 20 pages long and requires about 10 hours study. All subject booklets address between three and five specific educational issues in each topic and all contain linked activities for the trainee teacher to carry out in their classroom or in collaboration with other teachers at the local centre. Each of the subjects is complemented by five subject-specific (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English) videos of 10 minutes each.
Staff from the Centre for Research and Development in Teacher Education produced a highly detailed Mentor Guide which was translated into Arabic. The UK workshop was used to review these guides with the teachers and 'version' them for science, mathematics and English specialists to use in the training centres in Iraq.
In the UK, the teachers' workshops were complemented by two other programmes. The first focused on enabling audio-visual (AV) technicians enabled them to work with experienced AV staff on the production of school-based video material with illustrated pupil work in schools. The second programme addressed the logistics of the costing, production and delivery of ODL materials for Ministry staff.
The hard work shown by the workshop participants was extraordinary. After intensive 8-hour days, groups would often work on their drafts into the early hours of the morning. The team spirit exhibited by the workshop participants was remarkable.
The success of the project is illustrated by the decision to increase the number of teachers receiving ODL training to 40,000 and the number of mentors to 370. This means that all secondary teachers of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English in Iraq will undertake this new training.
The first workshop, conducted over four days in September 2005, in Amman, Jordan, was a general introduction to Open and Distance Learning (ODL) for teacher development and to new teaching strategies, followed by a highly intensive six-day period of production of draft ODL material for in-service teachers.
A second workshop was held in Milton Keynes, UK in late February 2006 to complete the production of materials and to hold training for audio-visual technicians and ministry support staff.
A focus on team working was central to the project as quality open distance learning (ODL) materials are best produced by teacher trainers working as a team to share tasks and to critique each others work. A central pillar of the training, therefore, was to establish trust between the tutors and the workshop participants and, more significantly, amongst the subject teachers themselves who were to work in groups both in Amman and later in Baghdad and Milton Keynes to produce ODL materials for the use of other teachers in Iraqi schools.
The sessions in the early part of the first workshop included discussions with the teachers to clarify the parameters of the project. It was decided to produce ODL print materials which introduced classroom teachers to new teaching techniques, illustrated with supporting video footage. The intention is that teachers will use the print material in their school setting, supported by a mentor and discussions with fellow teachers during face-to-face meetings at teachers' centres across Iraq. This model has proved highly successful in the range of contexts in which the OU works worldwide. Teachers will be able to view and discuss the video in the local support centres.
Discussion with the participants revealed common areas of priority for teacher professional development (listed below). During the workshops the participants were exposed to new teaching strategies and concurrently coached in how to introduce the new teaching ideas to other Iraqi teachers using ODL techniques.
 |
Group work |
 |
Questioning |
 |
New teaching ideas |
 |
Evaluation of pupils |
 |
Teaching your subject in a practical way |
 |
Teaching all pupils |
To facilitate the production of the materials and to ensure uniformity between subjects, a common writing frame was agreed for six teacher booklets, covering science (with examples drawn from all three sciences), mathematics and English. Each booklet is about 20 pages long and requires about 10 hours study. All subject booklets address between three and five specific educational issues in each topic and all contain linked activities for the trainee teacher to carry out in their classroom or in collaboration with other teachers at the local centre. Each of the subjects is complemented by five subject-specific (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English) videos of 10 minutes each.
Staff from the Centre for Research and Development in Teacher Education produced a highly detailed Mentor Guide which was translated into Arabic. The UK workshop was used to review these guides with the teachers and 'version' them for science, mathematics and English specialists to use in the training centres in Iraq.
In the UK, the teachers' workshops were complemented by two other programmes. The first focused on enabling audio-visual (AV) technicians enabled them to work with experienced AV staff on the production of school-based video material with illustrated pupil work in schools. The second programme addressed the logistics of the costing, production and delivery of ODL materials for Ministry staff.
The hard work shown by the workshop participants was extraordinary. After intensive 8-hour days, groups would often work on their drafts into the early hours of the morning. The team spirit exhibited by the workshop participants was remarkable.
The success of the project is illustrated by the decision to increase the number of teachers receiving ODL training to 40,000 and the number of mentors to 370. This means that all secondary teachers of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English in Iraq will undertake this new training.